


A Change Would Do You Good

by impulsiveIam



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Mild Language, Past Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Stupid Rich Wynonna., Violence because Wynonna takes names
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-28
Updated: 2018-11-22
Packaged: 2019-06-17 14:45:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 20,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15463710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/impulsiveIam/pseuds/impulsiveIam
Summary: She smiled thinking of all the stuff she had collected on her travels for Waverley.  Babygirl was gonna flip her lid.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I know, I know I don't care. He lives on. Had started working on this anyway.

The Homestead was cold, lonely and antiquated, needing so many improvements that the decision to stay with her sister had made itself. Guilt had also pushed her acceptance as she remembered all times she had substituted her presence in Waverley’s life with money.

“Babygirl, you’re the only family that even talks to me. The rest can barely stand to be in the same room with me,” she’d retorted when the issue of her moving back to Purgatory was raised.

“So come home to me then. You can’t live at the Homestead, it’s a wreck,” Waverley responded.

She’d agreed on the condition that the old house be overhauled and Waverley move in with her once it was complete. A permanent place of their own would be nice even if it meant tolerating Waverley’s excitedly pink color scheme. Renovating would also be a great way of exorcising the ghosts of memories past, well one could only hope so.

Waverley had been more than happy for her to crash considering it had been ten long years since she had seen her big sister. She knew Wynonna had avoided visiting to keep her protected from the invasive paparazzi that dogged her every step but now an opportunity to build a proper relationship close quarters and kill the loneliness of long distance contact had presented itself and she was taking it eagerly with both hands. 

Waverley had hidden in her room listening to the firestorm of angry words between her father and sister.

“You’ll never be anything worthwhile in life Wynonna. You’ll destroy yourself, just as your waste of a mother destroyed this family.” 

The words had cut Waverley to the quick and she had watched through the window as Wynonna flipped Ward the bird, driving away in their Aunt Gus’s truck to make a new life for herself.

It hadn’t been easy for Wynonna. She’d slept on and performed in streets and subways, taking on waitressing gigs to eat and sometimes a little petty crime to make rent. All the while furiously writing new songs and playing in dive bars until the gods decided that she’d paid her dues in full, sort of. 

A video of her performing in the subway had made its way to Youtube and there had been so many hits and views that someone somewhere had taken notice and the rest was history, not quite.

Bulshar Records had been a nightmare. Bobo Del Ray, the mohawked CEO had royally screwed her over, trying to remake her into some hill-billy Britney wannabe and had been adamant in refusing to record any of her original material. Out of sheer desperation and anger she had refused to release any music with the label despite having signed on and had retreated to a small apartment in the seedier part of town. 

Refusing to admit defeat she soothed her pain with alcohol and more song writing rather than head back to Purgatory with her tail between her legs. Del Ray had sent reminders of her debt in the form of his thugs and she had politely declined their overtures with fists and bullets from an old Bluntline she had stolen from her father. The message, received Del Ray had bided his time. 

Then Lucado Entertainment happened. A tall, ginger haired woman leaning confidently against the wall of her apartment block one night had handed her a simple white embossed card. She wore a tailored black suit, Cartier wrist watch and dimples that highlighted her lovely brown puppy dog eyes. She’d introduced herself as Nicole Haught and automatically Wynonna had sniggered and rolled her eyes at her, already past tipsy and headed for total inebriation. Nicole hadn’t pushed her, simply nodding at the card with her details and telling Wynonna to be ready at 2:30 p.m. the following day.

A year later a court ruling released her from the contract with Bulshar Records as she had signed on as a minor at the time without proper legal representation. A massive brawl that soon became the stuff of legend had erupted on the steps of the courthouse and the world bore witness to the fury of Wynonna Earp. Bobo had been beyond enraged, vowing that no “uppity backwater girl from the badlands” would get the better of him.

Lucado Entertainment had nurtured her song writing talent, in addition to her singing and guitar, pairing her skills with artistes already signed to their label. John Henry Holliday had almost proved to be her undoing. His smooth Georgian voice fusing with her husk to make for one monster hit album but it was their obvious chemistry outside of the studio that set tongues wagging. Problem was Mr Holliday had neglected to inform Wynonna that he had a fiancé and this she found out when one Rosita Bustillos had sucker punched her in the head at a bar and then made a run for it.

Needless to say Wynonna was not that chick to make it about a guy and she had gone on tour solo, alcohol infused voice, twanging guitar and strident lyrics bringing her fortune, her flying fists, infamy. The press could not leave her alone. Her love life real and imagined had been played out publicly and it was no surprise that every relationship after petered out under the scrutiny.

However, an astute investment, by her now flame haired manager into a new tech company cemented her financial position for life. Her line of Earp Brand whiskey as well as a clothing collection under the same brand had fattened her coffers immensely. She was worth a fortune. Hell, she’d even made the Forbes list of soon to be billionaires under 30.

Then at the height of her fame, tragedy struck. Her father in a drunken stupor had driven his truck into the Purgatory River and drowned trapped in the cab. Misadventure it had been called. One year later Willa the first born daughter of the Earp clan was kidnapped and was presumed dead. To top it all off Wynonna’s vocal chords had suffered damage from a misadventure of her own involving whiskey and a Mclaren 720S.

She’d remembered waking up in the hospital unable to speak, her throat feeling as though some force had crushed it and then scraped the inside with a cement block. Naturally the record company had dragged its feet over renewing her contract with one album remaining and had opted to cut their losses and buy their way out instead. In hindsight it was a win-win and Wynonna had spent the time afterwards in recovery and planning what she would do with the rest of her life.

With this new phase of her life, Wynonna wasn’t going to concern herself with too many things, having done well for herself in the big, bad world. The berating tone of her father a distant memory discarded along with his disdainful words. 

“Yeah right. I'll never be anything worthwhile, says who?,” she thought twisting the diamond ring on her pinkie, a well deserved gift to herself on her 27th birthday. If this wasn’t doing well and making her way through life then what was?

Fine, she probably couldn't sing anymore but there was so much more she could do and she would with the right people at her side.

She smiled thinking of all the stuff she had collected on her travels for Waverley. Babygirl was gonna flip her lid.


	2. Here We Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The black sheep had returned and in style.

It had been three crazy months since Wynonna had laid out the skeleton of her Purgatory re-location plan. Of course Waverly had jumped right in, fleshing it out with improvements and then basically taking over, which is exactly what Wynonna had wanted in the first place. Jeremy Chetri, a friend of Waverly had volunteered to assist with IT and although the rather excitable young man irritated her somewhat, Wynonna had to admit that he knew his stuff.

Waverly was in her glory, planning , organizing and co-ordinating the entire project and the logistics involved. Flitting round like a busy bee in her short skirts and hard hat at the site of the new distillery which in addition to their offices and factory for the clothing line, would also house Wynonna’s personal project, Legacy Music. Waverly was a bundle of energy, exuding enthusiasm and buoyancy, a far cry from the shy, brow beaten little girl of long ago. 

The right people in the right places. That had been Jeannie Lucado’s mantra, ball crusher that she was and it had served her so well. Nicole Haught had been the right person to handle Wynonna so much so that she ended up being her first real and possibly only friend in the music business. Maybe she could persuade her to visit sometime.

The folk of Purgatory watched in amazement as both the business project and the Earp Homestead took shape. Waverly had insisted that construction materials be sourced locally to support Purgatory businesses and those of surrounding towns. It amused her that the same folk who’d looked down their noses in pity at Waverly were at a loss as to how to deal with her new found confidence. Personally, she’d learned to stop worrying about the opinions of people who really didn’t matter in the larger picture of life and focus on those who did.

News of the swanky soiree to be held at the Wainwright for the official opening of Earp Brands had caused great excitement. The whole town was invited and who didn’t love free food and expensive booze and seeing as it was an Earp party, no doubt they’d be copious amounts of both.

The reception was also to introduce Waverly Earp as the face and CEO of Earp Brands. It made perfect sense. Wynonna was committed to the music side of the business and basically wanted to leave the running of the enterprise to Waverly. Wynonna hadn’t told her sister though, preferring to surprise her. More luggage had arrived that morning and the two siblings had spent the entire afternoon going through the hefty monogrammed trunks. Waverly’s mouth had hung open as Wynonna had plied her with gift after gift from every conceivable designer house in existence. 

Wynonna had selected some truly exquisite pieces that she knew Waverly would adore. In fact most of the trunks were for her sibling. Waverly was entranced by a beautiful pale green Balmain dress. Wynonna smirked knowing that the princess style strapless gown would definitely appeal to all that was feminine in Waverly just like two tier diamond choker she had chosen to accessorize the dress.

Waverly was so grown up and a lump rose to her throat as she watched the small brunette exclaiming in wonder and cooing over her gifts. She thought of all the milestones she had missed and how Waverly had remained her only true family. There were a smattering of relatives most of whom only spoke to her when they wanted something otherwise, they’d kept their distance with the exception of Gus and Curtis who had taken Waverly in and treated her as their own.

Sure, she had ensured that Waverly was the belle of the ball at prom, that she had a hefty allowance to take care of her material needs but she hadn’t been there as a big sister. She hadn’t been there for the gossip, for the first heartbreak, hadn’t been there when Waverly had found her grit and ditched a useless boyfriend in spectacular fashion like a true Earp.

“Baby girl, I can’t make up for the time lost but let me try and be the sister you need now. I know we haven’t talked and we need to but please just let me be there okay? ”   
Waverly looked up in surprise at Wynonna’s beseeching tone. The words had slipped out her mouth from the swirling thoughts in her mind, before Wynonna could stop them and she now looked at her sister anxiously.

“I need to know you’re okay with me, with all of this,” Wynonna’s hands flailed in the air wildly.

Waverly smiled, knowing that “this”, meant Wynonna’s return, setting up the business and basically upending life in Purgatory, her life too in the mix of things.

“Wynonna, we got stuff to work through but I’m happy just to be in the same room with you for a change and not talking long distance over a stupid phone or computer. Besides, you’ve literally set up a whole business as a sisterly bonding exercise, how could I stay mad at you?”

Punching Waverly lightly on the shoulder, Wynonna breathed a sigh of relief.

“Whew, thank goodness! I thought we’d have to go to a brain peeler or something hellish like that. Now can you make up your damn mind about a dress, we got a reception to attend!”

The chandeliers in the large room glittered in the light and he watched lazily as her entrance caused a ripple in the crowded room. Men and women alike dressed in all their finery for the occasion turned their heads to ogle as she walked in, all red lips, slinky black Versace dress with an eye-watering slit to the hip, wrists shimmering with bejeweled bracelets. Wynonna Earp had never been subtle.

Like a hot knife through butter, she scythed through the murmurs swirling around her, barely giving the time of day to the looks thrown her way, some lustful, some envious, others contemptuous, most curious.

The black sheep had returned and in style. There’d always been whispers about her family, insinuations and gossip that bordered on unkind to downright malicious. Wynonna in her youth had fuelled the fire unapologetically, reveling in her bad seed reputation. Tonight, she’d come out to play, to show the good citizens of Purgatory that the wild flower had flourished despite their disapproval and condemnation. 

Catching his eye as she turned her head, she gave his coal black tuxedo a slow once over appreciating its fit to his body with a gleaming smile. He’d simply arched an eyebrow at her and continued to nurse his glass.

Well, well. Mr Tall and Broodingly Handsome had made an appearance. He always parked his blacked out SUV at the Sheriffs’ offices. No one seemed to know what he did exactly, except she got the distinct impression that folks were afraid of him. He looked dangerous. She liked dangerous. Deciding that she’d look for him later and introduce herself properly she made her way to the podium.

Jeremy had set it up in such a manner that she was head and shoulders above her guests and thus had a good view of the brightly lit room. The Wainwright had gone all out, with crystal champagne towers in almost every corner of the room and music filtering through from a live band. It was a wonder any of the people were able to stand with all the alcohol being consumed. Spotting Mr Tall and Brooding, she gave him a coy smile; he simply tilted his head at her his face stoic. Okay, playing hard to get then. Tapping the microphone and stilling her nerves she reminded herself that this was Purgatory her home town not a sold out venue with thousands of fans, she began her address.

“Good evening to you all and welcome to the launch of Earp Brands. Most of you know who I am and if you don’t then you haven’t lived here long enough. The Earps have been a part of this town for a very long time and tonight Purgatory sees the launch of something near and dear to my heart, whiskey and music.” She smiled sardonically as laughter swelled through the crowd at her introduction.

“I left and came back and brought changes with me. I’m not going to talk about those because that’s not my job. Mine is to introduce the person who will run those changes, someone who you all know and love who’s always been a constant in this town. I give you the new Chief Executive Officer of Earp Brands and Legacy Music, Waverly Earp.”

Waverly was stunned. She’d arrived later after making a few last minute checks on catering and had chosen to stand at the back of the room listening to her sister. Now the focus of attention, her mouth formed a little O as she looked at Wynonna who was smiling at her and gesturing to her to come to the podium. Wow, talk about a whirlwind change, this was a hurricane.

As soon as she ushered Waverly to the podium Wynonna headed to the bar. She hated champagne and just wanted a decent drink and also to listen to her sister talk animatedly about what Earp Brands would be doing in Purgatory. Waverly was perfect for this and she smiled softly as applause broke out across the room. So engrossed in her thoughts was Wynonna she didn’t notice the man she had been eye-balling standing behind her.

“Miss Earp,” a very deep voice said formally.

Wynonna turned sharply and knocked straight into a wall of muscle. Two large hands steadied her by waist and elbow and she looked up into a pair of strikingly dark, brown eyes, like drown-in-their-depths dark. Her breath caught whilst her voice fled.


	3. True To Form

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You know those cheesy romantic movies where time stands still when the protagonists meet? This was that.

You know those cheesy romantic movies where time stands still when the protagonists meet? This was that.

Oh man, the air felt like a really good strawberry milkshake, thick and swirly and she could almost taste the flavor of tension crackling between them, could feel the heat radiating from his hands on her waist and elbow, his cologne tickling her nose and all the while he never broke his deep gaze from her eyes. Oh shit, this was bad. Wynonna Earp NEVER lost her mojo around men, EVER!

Snapping out of the spell, she smiled at him and flirtatiously laid her hand on his chest.

“Well now, thanks for the save, I didn’t see or hear you there, maybe you should wear a bell or something?”

His answering smile knocked her for six. Butterflies bloomed and took off in her stomach and lo and behold she now had jelly for knees. Oh dear God, she was in trouble, big trouble. 

“I wear a lot of things Miss Earp, a bell is not one of them,” he said.

The timbre of his voice hummed through her and Wynonna blinked stupidly unsure how to react. Damn. This was so wrong. He was supposed to be the one star struck not the other way round. In her defense his physical proximity was destroying her cool and his eyes deserved a song of their own.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get your name, you know what with me being clumsy and all,” she quipped. It was the best rejoinder her mushy brain could come up with.  
“Xavier, Xavier Dolls,’ his deep voice replied.

“It’s nice to meet you Xavier, I’m sure I’ll be seeing a lot more of you but right now I need to get back to my sister and schmooze the good people of Purgatory.”

She was lying of course. What she needed was to get away from being so close to him and re-group. He still hadn’t released his hold on her and the heat of his hands agitated her already skittish hormones. If he would just slide his one hand a little lower just near her butt.. ……………. She stepped away from him hurriedly, a blush turning her cheeks pink. Nope. This was not happening. She had just spoken to the guy and was already fantasizing about his hands touching intimate places. This is how Wynonna always got into problems and oh hell naw she wasn’t looking for that right now, not after Doc, just no.

“I’ll leave you to it then,” he said politely, as she turned to walk away, dress swishing softly with each step. 

Goddamn, she was fire. He wasn’t dumb, he knew the effect he had on women but he hadn’t been prepared for the effect Wynonna Earp would have on him. He couldn’t stop staring. Everything about her demanded his full attention. A strange, nebulous expectation had begun to build in him from the time he’d laid eyes on her and he wondered where it would lead. 

He’d only come to the party at the behest of the local sheriff. The portly Nedley had insisted that he become acquainted with the locals and blend in, which he thought hilarious, given his very American accent and dark coloring. He’d stick around, see where the night led and take it from there.

Wynonna had tried to be calm as she walked well aware that she was being watched and not just by the crowd. She had known hot guys but Xavier Dolls was in a league of his own. Spotting Waverly she made a beeline for her sister who was frantically trying to avoid the handsy advances of the town layabout.

“So just because your sister has given you a fancy job and a fancy title and you’re not waiting tables at Shorty’s anymore, you’re now too good to give the likes of me some ass,” sneered a drunk Champ Hardy.

“Enough, Champ, leave Waverly alone.” Wynonna interjected angrily, fists clenched in anger. She would not allow anyone to belittle Waverly in her presence. 

“Well, well, look at you Wynonna throwing your weight around like your money. You think that’s gonna wash the stink off of you coz everyone here knows what a cun...” 

He never did finish the sentence, even as the room had grown silent, guests now watching the unfolding spectacle. A large hand clamped rigidly over the back of Champs’ neck whilst another tightly covered his mouth. Line backer shoulders flexed under a tuxedo as six foot something of hardened muscle hustled Champ Hardy through the hotel and deposited him unceremoniously into the street, head first.

“Don’t come back here. Decent folk don’t need you spoiling their evening.” It wasn’t a request.

Champ Hardy opened his mouth to respond but thought better of it. The man standing in front of him flexing his hands looked absolutely menacing and the glow from the Wainwright lights leant his eyes an otherworldly smolder.  
He scrambled away, muttering to himself about outsiders throwing him around in his own town.

Wynonna was furious. This was supposed to have been Waverly’s night but as usual the universe had conspired to hurt the Earps in whatever way it would. Chrissy Nedley, the sheriff’s daughter had taken Waverly to the rest room assuring Wynonna that she would take care of her.  
Wynonna would remind Champ Hardy of her stink for sure. Her death march down the empty corridor to the exit was halted by the appearance of one Xavier Dolls. He looked angry though his face softened a little upon seeing her.

“He’s gone. I took care of it,” he said simply.

She arched a brow at him quizzically.

“No one from this town steps in for an Earp, why did you?”

“First, I’m not from here. Second, Waverly does not deserve to be humiliated like that and not on a special night like this, not on any day on my watch.”

Her heart did some pretty weird things then.

“Erm thanks. That’s twice you’ve saved Earp bacon tonight. Does that make you my knight in a-well-fitted-suit because dude I gotta say, it looks awesome on you, like so sexy, you should wear those all the time.” 

She was rambling and what was that she’d just said? Now, he was laughing at her full and deep bellied. Wynonna was mortified. Could this night get any worse? Turning to flee, she was reeled back as he caught her arm to stop her flight. She refused to lift her head to look at him, embarrassment flushing her face.

He’d stepped in close, his left hand transferring from her arm to her waist, whilst a long, thick finger from his right, lifted her chin to meet his bottomless eyes.

“If it’s any consolation, I think you’re sexy too,” his long finger now caressing her jaw.

Yes indeed, very soon she’d be writing that song but right now she was focused on his mouth and her own lips parted slightly. The air thickened and his eyes dipped to her mouth. He was close enough to share her air and her tongue snaked out to lick at her bottom lip. 

That, was all the invitation he needed.

They kissed slowly, tasting each other like some exotic fruit, breathing heavy, lips sliding against each other sensuously. Wynonna slid her arms up his shoulders, digging her fingernails into the boulders under her fingers. He’d pushed her up against the wall wedging his thigh in between her legs, his hand lifting and riding up her exposed thigh. Teeth nipped at her neck, the bites soothed by soft kisses.

A discreet cough stopped Xaviers’ onward march up Wynonnas’ thigh in its tracks. Waverly, Sheriff Nedley and Chrissy stood in the corridor sporting bemused expressions. Wynonna swiftly dropped her hands and leg from Xaviers’ body.

Waverly broke the uncomfortable silence as a big cheeky grin broke out across her face.

“Wynonna I came to find you and also thank the Deputy Marshall for dealing with Champ but I see you’ve introduced yourself to him already and he’s kindly received your thanks.”

Chrissy chortled with laughter whilst her father looked at Xavier with a barely suppressed grin.

“Son, I said blend in but I’ll give you an A for effort.” Xavier glared at the older man but held his tongue. 

Wynonna should have known better than to think the night couldn’t get any worse. She’d made out with and had been cock-blocked by the law with her little sister and her good friend in tow for the view.

The good part was that Waverly was smiling again. The bad? She was super turned on and the man responsible for her condition had just said good night and walked off with Nedley and Chrissy. He’d stopped briefly to look back and smile at her before disappearing.

“He’s staying with Nedley till he gets his own place,” Waverly said by way of explanation watching her sisters’ face.

“Babygirl, let’s just call it a night. We’ve had enough excitement today.”

"Fuck," he thought as he sat in his SUV waiting for Nedley and Chrissy to finish up their goodbyes. He couldn’t be mad at himself, he’d wanted her, she'd wanted him. Only now she knew she was a Marshall, would she co-operate? 

Doing his job might prove to be a little more challenging than he expected but he’d get it done, he always did.


	4. Simply Irresistible

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh hell no,” she thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ginuwines' Simply Irresistible inspired part of this chapter and I'm sure you can guess which part.

The days that followed the reception went by in a flurry. Wynonna made every effort to avoid going anywhere near the Sheriffs’ office. Having Waverly poke fun at her relentlessly was bad enough, having to face him was worse. 

Problem was she couldn’t stop thinking about the feel of his hands on her body, his gorgeous smile and definitely not that kiss.

Haranguing the foreman overseeing the renovations to the Homestead had proved to be a great distraction to her randy thoughts as had the installation of equipment at the Legacy studio. 

Driving back from the site in the early afternoon she reminisced on her life. Wynonna had learned the hard way that dreams were not to be shared, especially where she was concerned. No one believed that a hard drinking, trouble magnet, hot mess of a woman had dreams for a future beyond the spotlight, beyond the next paycheck or the next performance and the next bottle of whiskey.

No, apparently dreams were not for the likes of Wynonna, said the judge, jury and executioner that was the citizenry of Purgatory. The irony being that the judgments pronounced in the small cafes, homes, cars and bars of this stupid town had forced her to dream in order to cope with being ostracized. To dream of not carrying the burden of the Earp name and all its associated infamy from time immemorial. To envision a life past pain, scandal and heartache and imagine beauty, joy, peace and even love perhaps.   
Her departure all those years ago had been driven by this singular quest, that dreams and visions were not just the preserve of those molded in the image and likeness of society but for those who dared to walk a different path altogether.

So, Legacy had lain in silent incubation hidden in the deepest recesses of her mind, watered by her tribulations at Bulshar Records, strengthened for growth by Lucado discipline and nurtured by her own will to succeed. Over the years, her mind had laid out the foundation, building the walls until the dream could be made manifest. It would be her memorial to a life well fought, a testament her ability to write her own story despite the bullshit of life. Legacy would be her middle finger to the world. 

Nicole Haught would also be a big part of that if she could persuade her to leave Lucado Entertainment which would be a difficult thing to do their friendship notwithstanding. She had great instincts where people were concerned and combined with her patience and amazing management skills she’d be a great fit for Legacy. Smiling a little to herself she figured that by the time Nicole arrived to visit, Legacy and the Homestead would have been completed and she’d definitely be able to make Miss Haught-sauce an offer difficult to refuse.

Smiling to herself as she turned into the lot behind Waverly’s apartment, her heart suddenly plummeted into her stomach. Parked to her immediate left was an unmistakable black SUV with heavily tinted windows, its mysterious and fine looking owner leaning against the passenger door, clearly in no hurry to leave.

“Great, wonderful, just what I didn’t need to end the day,” she groused slamming the door.

He watched a pair of long, lean legs exit the glossy black Camaro that had pulled up. Winter was still a way off, so the mild weather permitted less onerous clothing so to speak. Dark blue denim shorts came into view with the slam of the door as did a simple tank top of a similar hue. A stab of lust forced him to examine his shoes intently as he remembered the feel of being in between those legs.

“Get a grip X, she’s just a girl okay.”

“Correction, Deputy Marshall Dolls. I am the girl you made out with remember that?.” 

He’d spoken out loud and she really didn’t mean to escalate the situation but truthfully she was still reeling from their first encounter and she was delighted to know she wasn’t the only one who had been affected. It also rankled that he thought her “just a girl”, why she didn’t know, wasn’t going to go there just yet.

His head popped up and a sheepish expression crossed his face fleetingly before it was gone.

“Yeah about that, I’m sorry it won’t happen again,” he said stiffly.

“Why not? We could always try it again, just in case you weren’t satisfied coz I definitely want seconds.” 

Damn her mouth to hell, it always did this, too late now!!

Brown eyes locked with hers momentarily before dropping to her mouth. The air whooshed out her lungs and goose bumps broke out on her skin as the air between them crackled. Lowering his head, he stepped into her space and she licked her bottom lip in anticipation.

“Not professional,” he whispered against her ear, the vibration of his voice lancing straight through her body.

“Oh hell no,” she thought. Professional kiss my ass!

Moving swiftly before he could retreat she smacked into his lips and pushed her tongue into his very surprised mouth. Shoving him hard against his car, she wedged his thigh between her legs mirroring their initial meet. A groan escaped his throat when her teeth captured and bit into his lip and she smiled triumphantly hands slipping up his chest.  
His big hands roamed her back easing lower, past her butt until she found her thighs gripped and lifted. Automatically she wrapped her legs around him pulling herself flush against him, hands wound tightly behind his neck. He’d switched their position and didn’t kiss Wynonna so much as devour her. Of its own accord, her body moved suggestively against his in a rhythm she thought long forgotten. Searching his face she found an answering spark in his eyes and began to grind against him.

“Baby please, we can’t,” he begged and gasped unable to finish his sentence his brain and body fighting each other for control. 

“We can but not here,” she murmured scratching the back of his head with her blunt nails. That drew another delicious sound from him and she was now definitely and aggressively all for continuing this in the privacy of the apartment especially as he had now started sucking her nipples through the thin material of her tank top having discovered her bra less state. Whoopee ding, praise God for small boobs. 

Unfortunately or fortunately she spied a police cruiser just taking the turn from the end of the lot and she immediately stopped and slid down his body enjoying the hiss of pleasure elicited by her front brushing his crotch. He stared at her dazed, as one slender finger slowly traced his arousal through his pants her nail scraping the zip before his eyes also snapped to the approaching vehicle.

Taking a step back, he adjusted his tie that had gone askew and straightened out, eyes narrow in an unreadable face. She stared amazed at how he managed to maintain such a poker face on a whim.

It was Nedley. At least this time he was alone.

“Got a complaint ‘bout people indulging in lewd and laviscious behavior,” he said by way of explanation.

“Yeah? You wanna join us Nedley, make it a threesome? Don’t think your heart will hold out though. You’re no spring chicken these days,” she snapped.

A sigh escaped Xavier. This was so not what he had planned as he’d waited for Wynonna. He’d wanted to talk to her away from the prying eyes at the Sheriffs’ office but then things had gotten out of hand, way out of hand and now there was this mess to deal with. He needed to get his act together quickly.

“Apologies Sheriff, we let things get out of hand, it won’t happen again.”

The words tasted strange in his mouth, he wasn’t used to having to apologize to anyone but here he was and to his host, nogal.

“Sure it will Xavier, this is Wynonna Earp we’re talking about. Once this one has her sights on you, you’re done for. Get a room next time.” 

Nodding at them both he made his way back to his cruiser leaving a dumbfounded Wynonna in his wake. That was rude, so rude.

“Miss Earp…” he started.

“Oh Miss Earp now is it? I had my tongue down your throat and it was baby please now it’s Miss Earp? I think we’ve moved well past the stage of Miss Earp, Xavier!”

Holding up his hands in surrender he took a step back from her sudden outburst.

“Okay Wynonna look. I really wanted to talk to you about something important but things got hectic..,” 

He dropped his gaze to her mouth realizing that Nedley was gone and "things" could continue to get hectic again except making out in the lot had raised a public indecency complaint and just where had his professionalism gone?

Sensing his hesitation, Wynonna had stalked toward him one hand sliding down his dark tie, her smile absolutely predatory. Maybe all wasn’t lost after all.

“Whaddya wanna talk about Xavier,” she purred softly against his jaw, lolling her head back to gaze into those hypnotic eyes.

“Bobo Del Ray,” he answered softly.


	5. Things Best Forgotten (devil won’t leave me alone)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She really should have trusted her gut.

Flashback

A shudder rippled through her shoulders as memories flooded her mind at the mention of his name. There were many, many words to describe the man; pretentious being one, liar another, the most appropriate? Devil. 

Instead of horns however, this particular specimen came enclosed in chinchilla fur (in any weather), a slick black Mohawk, painted fingernails and ridiculous skinny pants that barely sat right on his rangy frame. His long jaw framed by a salt and pepper beard gave his face an almost blade like appearance.

Wynonna had disliked him on sight but had put the feeling down to his creepy over familiar manner and his need to dominate all who were around him.

“Wynonna Earp,” his voice grating over her name like a boot crunching pebbles.

“Run,” a voice in her head had whispered.

Instead in her youthful stupidity (desperation) she had tilted her chin defiantly, met his cold eyes and signed on the dotted line. She’d remembered thinking of glass shards when she saw him smile at her signature. It was a sharp, cutting, almost feral thing that had chilled her to the core. She really should have trusted her gut.

He’d set her up in a boarding house run by a surly brother and sister duo, Hetty and Herman. Neither had been civil, tossing her key card and leaving her to carry her one bag alone to her room. How they managed to stay in business with their less than hospitable attitude was beyond her. Over the ensuing months Bobo’s driver Jonas, had been entrusted with chauffeuring Wynonna despite her vehement protestations. Jonas had also taken an unhealthy interest in Wynonna despite her glaring indifference to him.  
She’d learned to tune out his leering advances by strumming her guitar in the back seat of the Escalade or simply listening to music on her phone.

One night however, he had stopped the vehicle in a shaded area of the parking bay to the side of the boarding house. Turning to face her, a malicious smile stretched the width of his face.

“Can’t remain a virgin forever sweetie, you gotta give it up sometime. Figure a bitch like you been riding dick for the longest time anyways. Why don’t you just let me give it to you how you like. I’m as good as any you’ll get.”

It took a second for her to realize the peril she was in and the fact that he was now moving quickly to get into the backseat with her. 

Fight or flight? She was an Earp. Reputations needed to be upheld.

The guitar cracked down on his skull and splintered, his surprised scream filling her ears. Finding the door unlocked she had scrambled out ready to run but he’d been faster and had caught her by her fringed leather jacket. Swinging round she had smashed her fist hard into his nose and followed up with a swift kick to the box. Blood spurted onto the concrete and he’d staggered, clawing the seat for support. He crumpled when she kicked his knee out from under him and used the door as a battering ram, repeatedly slamming it into his back and eventually his head until he slid down with a whimper.

Unbeknown to Wynonna, as she stormed into the boarding house and slammed her door shut, body shaking with anger, Hetty had witnessed the entire incident and had called Bobo. She’d also erased footage of the confrontation from the security cameras. A short while later a black nondescript van pulled into the driveway and Bobo alighted with three other men. He’d examined the comatose Jonas and walked into the building leaving the three to load Jonas into the van and drive away.

He’d sat through her narration of her ordeal strangely quiet. Steepling his fingers as he focused intently on Wynonna, he snapped his teeth together.

“So, you’re telling me Jonas is in intensive care because you wouldn’t give it up? Wynonna girl, I thought you were smarter than that. How do think the world works hmmmmm? You give something to get something that’s how,” his voice deceptively soft, thin fingers stroking his beard. Her jaw dropped in shock.

“I own you. If my boy wants some, you give him some. There ain’t nothing special about that fanny you got, you hear? In fact, why don’t you get on your knees now and give me a Johnson service, then we’ll be square on Jonas’s medical bills and when he gets out you make nice with him,” his voice a hissing rasp

He’d already stood up in anticipation of her acquiescence and unfastened his belt.

In hindsight it explained a lot. Why she was never taken seriously. Why there always seemed to be an excuse when it came to recording her original material and how was it that she was relegated to singing back up for the likes of Joyce Arbour who didn’t have even a lick of talent but always hogged the studio.

She’d done some shit in life, had hit some really low points but no way in hell was she selling her body or her soul to this devil. She still had standards.

*********

Present Day

She opened her eyes and focused on his for a second before stepping away and shoving her hands into her pockets.

Thinking on the past was something Wynonna actively avoided because it made her feel the way she felt now, awful, small and weak. Her life had been fraught with bad decisions but walking away from Bobo had been possibly the best one ever, aside from leaving Purgatory. 

Her breathing had been ragged, her heart heavy with a shame she did not understand. Hot tears of anger blurred her vision as she plodded away from Bobo, small duffel bag in tow.

“You’ll be back. Ain’t no place for you to go,” he’d snarled after her, disbelief at her rejection etched in his face.

She turned and raised both middle fingers to him in defiance.

It should not have been shocking that Bobo would react the way he did because truthfully what had she expected from a guy who had taken her (a minor) to a slimy strip club for lunch and introduced her to his patrons and associates alike with a sly smile and a wink.

Decency, class, concern, support, empathy? What a joke. Purgatory had been a small taste of the sometimes vile nature of people. Why had she expected different in the wider world? It had been a tough and painful lesson, one of many she would learn.

Xavier watched emotion play across her face. Damnit! This is not how he wanted to handle this.

“Wynonna I didn’t want to spring this on you,” he said, reading the abrupt shift in her body language.

“Well you have and now I need a drink, you coming?”

She swept past him, head down. Cursing himself internally, he followed. He really could have dealt with this better, though judging from the slight stoop of her shoulders her experience of Del Ray was not something she shared lightly or often.

How was she going to react when he showed her the dossier? How much did she know about her former employer and his various enterprises? Only one way to find out really.  
Thinking fast as he caught up he clasped her hand to bring her stride to a stop.

“Hey, maybe we should postpone and you can swing by the office tomorrow, say 9:30 and we can talk then? “ It would give her time to collect herself and he would be able to plot a way of easing her into the situation.

“Xavier, if someone invites you for a drink, it means they don’t want to be alone,” she snarked looking at their hands. Such an innocent gesture that felt ridiculously nice, sweet even. How long had it been since she’d been touched like that?

“Besides it’s about time we got to know each other a little, don’t ya think?” 

The enigma of the man holding her hand was something she really wanted to unravel and time was something she had in abundance.

Wynonna was laying it on thick and fast she knew this, didn’t care. She didn’t want to be alone. If it meant dredging up the ghoul of Bobo Del Ray to enjoy the rare company of a man not intimidated by her and hers for a few hours, then hell yeah. 

She’d soak up the whiskey like a sponge and let him wring out all the information he wanted on Bobo. Why did it have to be all grim? For once Bobo would be a tool in the pursuit of her own happiness, thank you very much, however temporary it would be.

“Take me to that Chinese place for dinner and we can talk there,” she said smiling impishly at him.

He blinked. Her mood had changed again. Just like that she had straightened out her shoulders. How did her head work he wondered. He’d formulated a plan and now he was going to an early dinner he had not planned for. It appeared the only way to deal with the Bobo issue was to rip the band aid off and pray for the best.

“Okay, I’m driving though,” he answered her hand still tucked in his larger one as they walked back to his vehicle.

The restaurant was quiet at this time of the day and he was grateful. He watched the woman in front of him eat her fill of dumplings, amused as she shoved another one into her mouth and chewed with a blissful look on her face.

“Bobo’s got a logistics company here in Purgatory,” he said conversationally.

Laden chopsticks that were halfway to her mouth, stopped mid air.

“What? Here? Why? What’s it called?”

“Revcor is a front he uses for moving his inventory around. He’s also got a mining and construction gig running too.”

Chopsticks forgotten she focused on Xavier.

“You’re saying that piece of shit followed me back here and set up shop in my home town?”

“That piece of shit as you so eloquently put it is from here. He changed his name from Robert Svane to Bobo Del Ray.”

It’s a good thing she’d stopped eating in fact her appetite was gone. 

The Svane family was almost as old as Purgatory itself and had a reputation to rival that of her own family. 

Generational malfeasance was their business. From time immemorial the Svane’s had been involved in organized crime of some sort, cattle rustling, bootlegging and moonshine being the lesser but in recent times whispers of gun running, drugs and human trafficking had swirled around their name. No wonder he’d smiled like the cat that had got the proverbial cream when she signed that contract. There was bad blood between their families. 

Before his untimely demise and even earlier capitulation to alcohol, Ward Earp had been a half decent deputy trying his level best to uphold the law. He’d had several run-ins with the Svane’s but because of their family connections, he failed to ever get a Svane to see the inside of a jail cell. It was a continual failure that frustrated him into drinking excessively.

The other was a rumour that his wife Michelle had stepped out on him with an uncle to Robert Svane. The rumour mongering had gone into overdrive when Michelle delivered Waverley and she looked nothing like the first two Earp girls.

“So you’re telling me that the whole time I was with Bulshar Records I’d been working for someone who’s hated my family since forever?”

“Wynonna, you didn’t know okay. How would you have known that he was playing you like that?”

There was an uncomfortable silence as her eyes drilled holes into the man before her. She didn’t feel stupid not in the least. What she felt was anger, the intense, throbbing kind that made her do the stupid things. She just couldn’t catch a break. The universe was continually fucking with her.

“What do you want from me,” she asked, cool voice masking the rage in her chest.

“I just need you to tell me everything you know about Bobo.”

“Why?”

“It’s come to our attention he’s responsible for the drug epidemic that’s recently swept Purgatory and the outlying towns amongst other things and no one can pin anything on him. I want to change that.”

“Why do you need me then? Surely the Marshalls can handle him? What aren’t you telling me?”

It was time to rip off the band aid.

“There’s no easy way to say this Wynonna so I’ll just come right out with it. Bobo has your sister Willa.”

Something like a huge fist slammed into her stomach and she almost doubled over in shock. Willa was alive. Her older sister who had been presumed dead was alive and in the clutches of Bobo Del Ray.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a long ass chapter that was really hard for me to write because of the content. I may edit in future.


	6. The Calvary Arrives

It was like watching an emotional tornado gather its strength. Even the atmosphere in the restaurant seemed compressed and dense. Xavier had seen people in pain but nothing, nothing could compare to the storm of torment and agony facing him now. Her face had contorted in disbelief, brow riding low on her face, shoulders tense as she struggled to absorb the news.The chopsticks fell to the floor, pushed aside as her fingers flexed convulsively to finally form fists. 

Her eyes were captivating, laser bright, icy, icy blue and focused with intent on him. Before he could say anything to mitigate the volatile situation she pushed upright and ran out the restaurant.

He’d thrown money on the table and followed catching up to her as she headed back toward town. Her fist landed like lightning and his neck snapped back from the impact. She was blazing fury, finger in his face.

“How could you? You knew and didn’t you tell me straight away, why?,” she fumed.

He stared at her as his jaw throbbed. Damn, chick rocked that right hook like Beyonce rocked a crowd, with authority. Stepping away from her, guilt turned his eyes to his SUV in the distance but he still felt that unnerving glare boring into his skull.

“I wanted to be sure of the facts first.”

“Bullshit. Bobo has my sister, what other facts would you need and why the hell haven’t you rescued her by now? We filed a missing person’s report ages ago and it’s still open and yet you’ve known for god knows how long where she is? You know what go to hell,” she hissed chin thrust forward up in his face.

Her breath heaved in and out of her lungs. She felt like crying but her pride would not allow her to break down in front of him. It was so hard to grasp. Willa was alive, after all this time, her big sis was still in the land of the living, a captive yes but still breathing. She dropped her eyes from his and turned away slightly.

“There’s more to it Wynonna.” The words didn’t scare her so much as the way he said them, like he was dreading telling her the next part and she could see it on his grave face that whatever was next was not at all pleasant.

“Willa was definitely kidnapped but it appears her circumstances have changed somewhat. Maybe it’s an extreme form of Stockholm syndrome, I’m not sure but it appears she may be working for Bobo now. Surveillance footage shows her with a constant security detail of her own wherever she goes. We think she heads up the human trafficking side, specifically young women who are either kidnapped or enticed into working for Del Ray in his strip clubs and brothels. They’re shipped in containers on his trucks to various destinations….”

“Stop. Just stop.” Wynonna couldn’t take it anymore and she felt herself spiraling.

This is not what she had planned when she re-located to Purgatory. She’d thought of it as the end of one phase of her life and the start of something new and different. Instead it felt like being in the middle where she had to fight for her sanity again. The middle was not a good place to be. Things happened in the middle, things she had no control over and she was tired of not having control.

So many emotions were running riot through her right now. Her long lost sister was alive but running a human trafficking ring for the purposes of prostitution and lord knows what else. She would not believe it. Sure Earps were messed up and Willa had not always been the best person but this??? This was something else entirely.  
Oh God! How was she going to tell Waverly? What was she going to tell her, given her history with Willa was anything but healthy or loving. It’s a good thing the distillery wasn’t complete yet otherwise she’d have drunk and drowned herself in a barrel, this day was so bad.

Watching her he wanted to reach out, hold her hand again in comfort but he dared not touch her, not in this situation. He had to remain clinical, neutral and see this through though he had another vested interest in the matter at hand. 

Most of the intel in the dossier had been gathered by his partner Eliza Shapiro. Smart, funny and independent, she had taken to him immediately admiring his unerring, inflexible devotion to duty and attention to detail. They had worked the Del Ray case over two painstaking years, carefully building and joining the dots until one fateful day.  
She’d called him to say she had a tip from an informant on a consignment of guns that were due to be delivered to a down town warehouse in the city owned by Del Ray. Xavier had pleaded with her to wait for him or at least take someone from the field office with her but she’d insisted that she could deal with it on her own. It was just recon nothing more.

“Catch up slow coach, and I’ll see you there,” she laughed over the phone before the line went dead.

Her body had been found two days later, naked, mutilated beyond recognition. Dental records were used to identify her and he’d listened to the coroner chronicle the horrible death she had suffered, a simmering rage quietly brewing beneath the cold veneer of his hard face. Beaten, tortured, raped and mutilated. A single bullet to the head had ended her misery. Standing at her graveside he touched the leather bracelet adorning his wrist as she was lowered into the earth. It had been a gift from her.

“Loosen up X, it’s just a fun thing okay. It’s not like a tattoo or anything,” she’d smirked at his scandalized expression. Other than his dog tags it was the only jewelry he wore.  
Walking away from the gravesite he’d made a vow. Bobo Del Ray would be made to pay one way or another.

Now in front of him stood another smart, funny, independent woman, difference being this one provoked feelings that Eliza had not. This one was fiery and reckless and made his mind go places it had no business going. This badass one was mad as hell at him and sad and hurt, all at once. His hands itched wanting to reach out again.

“Take me home, now.”

It wasn’t a request. They headed to his car in silence. He’d handed her the dossier and her face darkened when she saw the first picture. Willa. She was blonde now, eyes hidden by large shades, designer. There were several pictures of Willa and one in particular made her gasp.

Jonas! There he was opening the door for Willa no doubt. His minion ass was still a damn driver to this day, typical.

“You know him?” Did nothing escape his notice? Her laugh was hollow.

“We’re acquainted,” she hedged not really wanting to get into the specifics.

“How?” 

Right, this was now an interrogation and seeing as the day had been shot to hell already might as well spill the beans.

“I beat his ass one time, when he tried to put moves on me,” she still couldn’t say it to this day what Jonas had attempted.

“Put the moves how exactly,” he pressed.

“Are you that obtuse? He tried to rape me, that’s what,” she shouted at him, a tear slipping down her cheek.

He went unnaturally still, like a statue. The car was in motion but he was rigid and silent. When she looked over at his face, she gulped. It was terrifying. For a naked moment she saw something quite ugly churning beneath that composed self-control. She recognized that look she’d seen it a few times in the mirror. Just like that the mask was back and he stared straight ahead. Whoever had crossed him was in for a world of hurt. She wouldn’t ask, everyone had their secrets.

Taking a deep breath she looked out the window. She needed to ask him a favor and wasn’t sure if he’d agree but there was just no way she could handle this thing on her own.

“Can you be there when I tell Waverly? I can’t deal with this on my own.” 

“Sure and I’m sorry you had to go through that” he’d given her a half smile and squeezed her hand gently. She gripped his for the duration of the ride back to the apartment.

She expected Waverly to be home by now. What she didn’t expect was a familiar red head leaning against the wall of her apartment, nonchalantly checking the time, sunglasses perched on the top of her head.

Nicole had come. Relief swept through her and she wiggled excitedly in her seat ignoring the quizzical look on Xaviers’ face. She’d bolted out the car and cannoned into Nicole, her usual reticence with hugging forgotten.

“Whoa there Earp, where’s the fire,” she wheezed jokingly from the grip of a bone-crushing hug. She felt wet on her shoulder and pulling back saw tears sliding down her friends’ cheek.

Ever since that phone call from Wynonna inviting her to Purgatory she’d been thoroughly anxious about Wynonna and her past experiences had taught her to never ignore that instinct especially where Wynonna was concerned.

Knowing her friends’ ‘I can do bad all by myself attitude’ she’d booked a ticket and made her way to Purgatory. Lucado had raised a stink at her sudden leave but Nicole had reminded her that she was owed time off and had decided that now was an opportune time to take off.

The heavy presence of a handsome man loomed a few steps behind Wynonna, his gaze pinned on her, face unreadable. His bearing reeked of the military and he carried himself like a man with jagged edges, hard, dangerous and deadly, willing all and sundry to keep away. She wondered how Wynonna had managed to land this one. Law enforcement wasn’t her usual type.

“Who’s the guy?” she whispered into her ear.

“Hot-pants meet US Deputy Marshall Xavier Dolls,” Wynonna said by way of introduction.

“Nicole Haught, she said grimacing at the moniker Wynonna had used.

“Nice to meet you,” he replied quietly, sharp gaze still assessing her. Yip she’d have to watch her step with this one, he weren’t nothing to play with.

“I wasn’t expecting you yet,” Wynonna said lightly pushing Nicole.

“Yes well, it’s not often you call socially, so I got curious.”

Just then a loud pink Mini Cooper zoomed into view and parked inches from the curb. Nicole watched mesmerized as legs for days clad in the most ridiculous high heeled booties stepped out followed by a long swishing pony tail. The tantalizing woman wore a cute sleeveless, lilac mini-dress that showed off her toned arms as she minced toward them. It was all Nicole could do not to drool.

“Why are you all standing on the curb and who are you,” she snapped hazel eyes glaring at Nicole.

Wynonna’s jaw dropped. Waverly was never, ever rude. She was the nicest person in Purgatory, apparently she even had a sash to prove it. 

Realizing that she had spoken out of turn, Waverly tried to smile but failed. It had been a long, hard day and all she wanted to do was curl up with her favorite bubble gum sake and pizza. Instead it looked like the Earp girls would be entertaining tonight.

“I’m Nicole Haught.” She’d introduced herself tired of waiting for Wynonna to do it.

A creeping blush colored Waverly’s face. Oh no. This was the famous Nicole Haught she’d heard so much about and had been a little jealous of. Of course, her sisters’ best friend would choose to arrive on the day she was not at her best. Putting her best smile forward and looking into Nicole’s face, she stuttered as wide golden brown eyes looked at her and an enormous dimpled smile took her breath away. Wow, what a hottie. (Wait what, I’m straight.)

“Sorry, sorry, I’m Waverly, Wynonna’s sister, I didn’t know you were coming and I’m so sorry, it’s just been an awful day and I’m really sorry.” The apologies wouldn’t stop flowing because wow Nicole was just wow and her brain was addled.

Dolls observed the exchange with a knowing smile and he walked right up to Wynonna, his hand brushing her back gently. 

“Maybe we should get inside and get this over with,” he murmured softly.

Yeah there was dirty Earp laundry to be washed.


	7. The Calvary Arrives – Part 2 (Therapy; Members Only)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “All right, let’s do this.”

It had gone well, considering. 

The bubblegum sake had been hurled viciously against the wall and Waverly had folded in on herself, shocked like Wynonna that the sister she had relinquished to the void of loss was in fact alive and involved in the most nefarious dealings one could imagine. Truthfully she wasn’t surprised.

Willa had been a nightmare growing up, a total bitch who had purposefully dominated Wynonna to the exclusion of Waverly. Just as things were looking up for her the bitch was back to make her life a living hell again. At least now hopefully Wynonna could see her for what she really was and maybe she’d lean a little more to her side. It was a selfish way to think but Waverly was done hiding how she felt about things.

No amount of bubblegum sake would dull the pain of memory for Waverly. Almost drowning in an icy lake because of Willa, almost falling from the rafters of the barn because of Willa, crying herself to sleep because Willa had told her “she didn’t belong.” Enduring years of snide comments and being reduced to a nonentity by Willa.  
Ward had simply ignored the abuse and Willa had grown even bolder in torturing Waverly such that by the time she was in middle school she’d been reduced to a shell. Thankfully Curtis and Gus had noticed the neglect and had insisted that Waverly spend time with them to such an extent that she’d decided one night to move in permanently.

“Good riddance,” Willa had said on hearing the news, Ward had simply held his silence and continued drinking.

Waverly had never understood why Willa hated her so much and why Ward never raised a finger in her defense. Gus and Curtis tried so hard to be the loving parents that she needed and whenever she asked why she was treated so badly Gus would hush her and tell her “some people don’t know any better.” She’d found the truth out on her own.  
Wynonna had edged closer to Waverly laying a soft hand on her shoulder and holding her tightly as the younger girl turned into her sister for comfort her sobs muffled in her sisters embrace. 

It was awkward for both Nicole and Xavier who stood looking at them and each other until Nicole jerked her head toward the kitchen.  
She knew what an Earp breakdown looked like and what would follow. Rummaging through the cupboards she found clean glasses and silently handed them to Xavier. It wasn’t hard to locate the whiskey and she grabbed three bottles. Xavier gave her a look and she smiled back thinking, “you got a lot to learn about Earps.”

Heading back to the living room where both sisters were now curled up on the sofa, she set the bottles down next to the glasses and hands on hips regarded everyone critically.

“All right, let’s do this.” 

Nicole smirked watching Xavier watch both sisters grab a bottle from the table leaving the one. Nicole knew what an Earp throw down looked like but she was amazed that even the smaller and younger sibling could chug down copious amounts of alcohol and still remain standing.

Xavier had declined, preferring to deal with the cold hard facts at hand. The full extent of the dossier was devastating. Young girls kidnapped and sold, some branded like cattle. Bobo was manufacturing a synthetic drug similar to Ecstasy but one with horrifying side effects when mixed with alcohol.

A teenager had gone on a rampage killing his beloved pet and holding his family hostage at gunpoint accusing them of being demons. Nedley had shot him with a tranquilizer to bring him down and he’d been diagnosed with temporary psychosis caused by ingesting a powerful hallucinogenic.

It was suspected that Bobo had a network of powerful allies who aided and abetted his activities for kickbacks to such an extent that he’d almost become untouchable. Xavier explained that the Marshalls had decided to bide their time with the investigation until they were satisfied that all the major players in Bobo’s syndicate were identified.

“Who’s this poor soul that looks like something out of the Walking Dead, what happened to her?” Wynonna asked brandishing a picture of a corpse. 

He already knew which one it was without looking at it. He’d kept it in the file as a reminder as to why he had to finish the job completely. His jaw twitched and he reached for the untouched bottle and poured a finger of the golden liquid before tossing it back. It burned sliding down his throat before settling in his stomach. He didn’t normally drink especially on the job but exceptions could be made, occasionally.

“I had a partner,” he said, squeezing the glass waiting for the inevitable question.

“What happened to, oh shit is this…….……..,” as realization dawned on Wynonna. She had no qualms about probing him for answers, he’d done the same but dealing with the answers was another thing. It was too late now the apples would fall where they would. He simply nodded grimly in reply to her question.

Nicole and Waverly had busied themselves with the rest of the documents and pictures from the dossier. They were sprawled on the floor and although Nicole pored over each one in turn she was more interested in watching Waverly. Horrified at the depravity detailed in the file and Waverly pursed her lips angrily thinking of the families picking up the pieces in the aftermath of having a loved one ripped from them. Such evil and Willa was smack bang in the middle of it all.

“Willa wasn’t coerced into doing this. She’s doing it because she gets a kick out of hurting people and she’s seen an opportunity to make money for herself. If she was pushed Bobo didn’t have to work too hard to persuade her, I can tell you that. They’re probably kindred spirits.”

“Waves you don’t know that, you can’t make that judgment call,” Wynonna slurred.

“Can’t I? Really Wynonna?” Waverly rounded on her sister her eyes sparking, voice high and strained with anger.

“Willa practically terrorized me growing up and you were complicit. You never stood up to her directly, only came to check up on me later when she was gone or couldn’t see you. Wake up Wynonna and see what is in front of you. Our beloved sister was a monster long before Bobo Del Ray got to her!”

A graveyard could not have surpassed the suffocating hush that settled in the room. 

The two sisters squared off in the middle of the room, a livid Waverly daring her sister to contradict her.

“Waverly she’s still our sister….”

“Unlike me,” Waverly snapped. Everybody’s eyes turned to Waverly, Wynonna struggled to breathe. Growing up she’d heard the rumours but typically had brushed them off and had dealt harshly with anyone who made the mistake of perpetrating them further.

“I took a DNA test,” she stated simply. 

High school was difficult for any teen but for Waverly Earp it had been a minefield with the likes of Stephanie Jones. Waverly had been an easy target and Stephanie had teased her mercilessly about her parentage. The test had conclusively shown that Ward was not her father. She’d cried and cried and cried. Gus and Curtis were at their wits end with trying to console her.

“It doesn’t matter Waves, you’re still my sister, father be damned. Nothing changes. If it had been an issue I wouldn’t have come back. I wouldn’t have come back to YOU and done all this. You’re the only person I came back for in this godforsaken town. I couldn’t do Earp Brands without you. I love you baby girl, nothing will ever change that not now not ever, believe me.”

Xavier felt like he’d stepped into the twilight zone. This goddamn investigation had kicked the hornets’ nest and was destroying two people who from the looks of it had just found each other and he was the cause.

He needed another drink. Taking the bottle he headed for the door and motioned for Nicole to follow. Waverly and Wynonna needed space and he wanted to talk to Nicole privately.

She scrambled to follow closing the door behind her glad to be out of the stifling atmosphere in the apartment. He was sitting on the top step of the staircase and she plopped down next to him.

“You used to be a cop.” Statement not a question. He pushed the bottle toward her and she took a gulp and handed it back.

“Yeah, long ago in another life. What gave it away?”

“You ask questions only a cop would. How long are you in town for?” His mind was already ticking over. He liked her. There was a pang in his heart as he realized why. 

“I dunno. Took some time off work but depends on what happens here and after all I’ve heard and seen today..” 

He was taking a huge risk but he had a feeling in his bones that things were about to escalate and aside from Nedley, he didn’t have any other allies.

“You do realize that Del Ray is gonna come after her at some stage,” she said.

He raised an eyebrow at her “how so?”

Nicole grinned and pulled out her phone. Flicking through she downloaded the video that had made headlines throughout the world.

There she was Wynonna Earp, almost 19 on the steps of the courthouse, hair flying, a scream ripping through her throat as she took a running leap and floored Bobo Del Ray with two boots to the chest. He was bigger than her but no match for the uncontained fury of her flying fists. Three deputies had pulled her off of him and he’d gotten up, bloodied mouth grinning evilly before turning on his heel and slinking off.

Xavier started laughing, loudly. He laughed until the tears rolled down his face, laughed until his belly hurt. Oh this was too good.

She’d publicly served him a big piece of humble pie. He would not forgive or forget. Kidnapping Willa had been his first move in his plan no doubt. Bobo wanted to break Wynonna and possibly end the Earp line given the feud between the two families.

His eyes went hard. A plan was starting to form in his mind. Looking at Nicole he simply asked,

“You got a piece?”

Her eyes warmed immediately and she smiled as she conspiratorially lifted the right leg of her black jeans to show him the gun tucked snugly in her boot. He snorted, once a cop, always a cop.

“Wynonna know you’re packing?

Nicole shook her head.

“Good, keep it that way.”

Taking another slug from the bottle, he absently twisted the leather bracelet on his wrist. Bobo Del Ray was done. Purgatory is where it would all end.

Waverly and Wynonna were at an impasse over Willa. Wynonna was all for giving Willa the benefit of the doubt reminding Waverly that she hadn’t exactly been a shining example herself and by Waverly’s own words had been complicit in Willas’ disgusting treatment of Waverly.

Waverly wasn’t having it, adamantly refusing to even entertain the idea that Willa was being forced into working for Bobo.

It had been frustrating for both sisters and in the end they both agreed to disagree, knowing that they were both too stubborn to budge in their opinions and that no doubt this was a fight for another day.

“Sooo, what’s the deal with Nicole,” Waverly had enquired very casually. She didn’t want to give Wynonna ideas.

“She handled me and my business when I first signed to Lucado Entertainment and things just moved on from there I guess. Why?”

“Oh nothing, it’s just that you don’t trust people that much so I’m surprised at how close you are and she really seems to genuinely like you.”

“Trust me, we didn’t get along at first but she grows on you and it’s hard not to like someone that’s got your back. She’s had her own shit to deal with so we kinda get each other. Speaking of the ginger, we better rescue her from the good Deputy Marshall.”

“Yeah, it’s been a day and we all need to rest.”

Just then the door opened and both Nicole and Xavier walked back in cautiously.

“No blood on the floor, that’s good,” Nicole quipped.

“Hahahahaha, funny, we’ve decided to let bygones be bygones for now,” Wynonna said eyeing the silent Xavier.

“Well I better get going,” Xavier said

“Great, I’ll walk you to your car. Baby girl can you fix up a bed for Nicole, I’ll be back now, now,” she said joggling her eyebrows at her younger sister as she followed the broad shoulders making their way out the apartments’ front door.

Waverly breathed in through her mouth as Nicole smiled shyly at her. She liked men but it was becoming apparent that she liked women too or maybe it was just this particular one in her skin tight jeans that had this effect on her.

“I can get a room at the hotel, it’s not a problem, you guys weren’t expecting me anyway.”

“Nonsense, you’re our guest. We’re moving in two days anyway, the Homestead is almost done.” And besides I want you where I can keep an eye on you she thought to herself. 

“Ok then if you insist, let me get my bags and I’ll settle in,” Nicoles’ smile was absolutely joyful and she felt an almost juvenile pleasure in knowing that she’d be close to Waverly. She had every intention of getting even closer.

*********

Xavier’s brain buzzed with the threads of the plan he was forming. He didn’t want to tell Wynonna until he was satisfied that it was foolproof and tonight he knew that sleep would elude him until he’d laid the majority of the pieces in place. 

His head turned to the woman walking alongside him and a smirk formed on his face as he replayed the video in his mind.

“What?” she asked. 

“I saw the video and I gotta say Wynonna, you really are something, you know that?”

“Oh? Something like what Xavier?” Her head cocked slightly, voice all innuendo as her eyes glinted in the soft light of the parking lot.

He swallowed. Dear God he was in over his head with her. He wanted intensely, wanted her with a lust that burned right through his common sense but it was the possessive chaser that gave him pause. This was no passing fancy, no sir. He’d fallen like a stone into a river and had drowned without realizing what was happening. It was time to bite the bullet.

“I want you.” It was the truth.

“I know. I want you too” she replied also in truth.

They stared at each other for an instant before they both smiled. Taking her hand into his he kissed her knuckles and open palm. She drew closer to him melding her body to his with a sigh. Unbidden her hands found their way to his neck and she rested her head against his warm chest. His arms wrapped round her tightly and they simply stood together.

Safety. It wasn’t a word she associated with any of the men she’d dated or slept with but here right now she felt enveloped in protection. Her songs all dealt with the treachery, deceit and betrayal she’d experienced in her life but something different was blooming. A fragile thing, still so new and fresh. She wasn’t going to ruin it.

“Xavier, I’m just dying to get into your pants and all but can we slow this thing down, what with this whole Bobo crap going on..”

The sex in his smile set things wriggling in her stomach and his heated gaze set her on fire moreso when his hands traced down her back to squeeze her butt.

“You said something about getting to know each other better, well I was thinking the same. Personally I want to spend time alone with you before I spend quality time with you in my bed, where you were always gonna be anyway. There’s no rush.” 

She guffawed at him. “Cocky one aren’t you?"

“You haven’t given me reason to be otherwise,” he said grinning at her.

“Kiss me,” she commanded softly against his mouth.

It was gentle and lingering filled with wordless promise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story won't leave me alone!!


	8. Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Well I guess we’ll just have to play welcoming committee then won’t we?”

Narrowed green eyes watched the black muscle car from a distance. She’d heard the hullabaloo in town about the waves being made by the Earps and curiosity had finally driven her to see for herself what the fuss was about.

Of course it was too much of a risk to head into town directly she was supposed to be dead after all and she’d prefer to remain so until her plans came to fruition.  
A small smile curled her lips. It would be good to see Wynonna again after all this time minus Waverly who once again was riding her coat tails, trying to fit in where she didn’t belong. Well she had a plan for Waverly, a permanent one.

She just had to be patient for a little longer, get her final pieces on the board and then she’d make her move.

************************

If Wynonna had ever doubted Waverly’s organizational efficiency, those fears were put to bed with the move to the Homestead. With renovations completed neither sister had wanted to tarry at the apartment any longer and Waverly had co-ordinated the movement of furniture and vehicles locked in storage and their own personal effects with military precision. 

The brick walls of the Homestead were clad in reddish amollite which gleamed in the clear light of the late Purgatory morning and Waverly had gasped when she first caught a glimpse of their revamped home as the Camaro had come over the ridge. The broken down fence had also been replaced by a low wall of amollite interspersed with timber beams whilst the front courtyard had been laid with brick pavers in symmetrical patterns. No one had time for lawn in Purgatory.  
The Homestead, built on a relatively flat space on the rolling 10 acres of Earp land on the outskirts of Purgatory had never been the prettiest, but it was sturdy, solid and it was their own.

The structure was still the same though somehow the house looked bigger. The barn had been leveled and replaced with a garage cum storage building that now housed a gleaming F150 truck, a motorcycle covered by an expensive looking tarp and a bright red Jeep, Waverly’s first car. A generator had also been installed to counteract the harsh Purgatory winters in the event of a power outage

She grinned manically at Waverly as she led her into the Homestead. Everything was new, spick and span, the odor of must and mildew replaced by the smell of fresh paint and floor polish. Light streamed in through large windows and danced on floorboards that had been replaced and polished. The combined kitchen and dining room sprawled out into the living room which in turn opened out onto a newly constructed deck housing a fire pit and bar.

With the exception of the giant flat screen television which she had ordered to size for the living room and the sound system that could be heard from miles around, Wynonna had been careful about furniture, opting to leave to Waverly co-ordinate the stuff they already had and primarily wanting the Homestead to reflect as much as possible the personalities resident in it. Thus the décor was a riot.

“We are totally having a house warming party.” Wynonna had said looking proudly round their new home. “Something small, just for friends, I couldn’t handle another Wainwright.”

“Definitely,” Waverly agreed enthusiastically already running through the guest list in her mind.

“Yeah you should get Nicole to help you, she’s great with stuff like that and people in general,” Wynonna added.

“Mmmmmmh where is Nicole anyway?” She was so not pining for a stranger she’d just met two days ago, not obsessing over her dimples and golden eyes, totally not having some incredibly lurid thoughts prompted by Nicoles’ bent form as she picked up her suitcases. It was just a thing no biggie.

“Probably holed up with Xavier somewhere. I don’t understand how she became so buddy-buddy with him so quickly. They’ve become as thick as thieves. It took me…..,”

“Yes, yes Wynonna I know what it took for Dolls to get friendly with you,” Waves face gleeful as she watched the red seep through her sisters’ face.

“You’re into him aren’t you and not like a-fuck-buddy-into-him either, you’re whipped.”

“Waverly, we are not having this conversation, ok,” she barked sharply, gentling her tone at her sisters’ hurt face.

“It’s something new, and I can’t really explain why it’s different. I don’t want to mess it up before it goes anywhere.”

“Fine,” was all Waverly said in response already walking towards the door. “We should head back to town if we wanna hold a party here tonight.” 

They drove back to Purgatory in silence and separated at the apartment. It still stung that Wynonna didn’t want to share her feelings with her but then again when had Wynonna ever shared her feelings about anything with anyone?

Swallowing down the bitterness she felt, Waverly pulled out her tab from her oversized bag. No point wallowing she had a party to organize.

*********************************************

It had been ages since she’d been in a police station and she didn’t miss it not one bit. There were stares as she rang the bell to announce her arrival and a sallow faced deputy strolled over.

“Yes,” he drawled trying to affect disinterest when his eyes were clearly taking the full measure of her in the most painfully obvious way ever.

“I’m here to see the Deputy Marshall.”

Wynonna was gratified to see his whole posture snap to attention. 

“What’s this about,” he asked eyes fully focused on her face.

“That’s for him to know. Be a dear and run along and fetch him for me.”

Anger flashed in his eyes but his mouth clamped shut when the said Marshall came out of the back office and called out, “Earp, come through.”

A shit eating grin spread on her face as she stuffed her hands in her pockets and sauntered through the partitioned area and into the office he’s disappeared into. Getting one over a cop was still the best because she was just that petty.

Xavier Dolls. No suit and tie today just dark jeans and a soft knit shirt that clung in all the right places, pulled up to the elbows, exposing thick forearms. The effect on her was just the same, like she was caught up in a hormone induced haze of desire and lust her brain liquefying into goo. God he was napalm. 

“Hi,” she breathed out, taking a step toward him and almost instantly inhaling the scent of his cologne, soap and something else that was inherently him. She hadn’t kissed him since the parking lot and that really was quite unacceptable. She’d fix that in a second.

“hey yourself,” he smiled broadly, eyes focused on hers, body leaning toward her as well.

“Uh hi Wynonna,” Nicole’s cheery voice cut sharply through her trance.

“Nicole hey, didn’t see you there. Uum, Waverly was asking about you, in fact I left her by the apartment planning a small housewarming thing for the Homestead, you’re invited by the way, but she needs help with stuff, so think you could help before she gets in over her head?

Wynonna’s eyes were wide, imploring and rolling toward the door. Nicole was quite familiar with the get-out-of- here-now-look and she grinned impishly sizing up the two people who were without question dying to be left alone, together alone.

“Fine, I’ll help Waverly. Xavier, see you later and try and keep this one (pointing at Wynonna) out of trouble.” She flashed her dimples before quietly closing the door behind her.

“So, Miss Earp, what can I do you for today,” Xavier’s dark eyes hungrily centred on her lips. Oh she could work with this.

“Well now Marshall, I’m kinda looking for a fella I kissed a couple days ago, I just cannot seem to pin him down, might you know where I would find him? It’s so ungentlemanly like to leave a girl high and dry,” she simpered in a sugar sweet voice, all the while trailing a finger up a bulging bicep and watching his reaction from under her lashes.

The wicked smile that crept slowly across his face should have been a warning but like a deer caught in headlights, she was blinded by its brilliance.

“I’ll show you high and dry,” he rasped, the bass of his voice rumbling against her ear, the vibrations setting off shivers down her spine. His hands were so very hot on her skin where he’d slipped them under her shirt and maneuvered her by the small of her back to a nearby table.

She gaped at him as his hands slid around her ass and lifted her onto the table spreading her legs wide. Instinct snapped them tight around his hips as if they were like “yeah we know the drill,” and she dug her fingers into the back of his neck as their lips crashed together. It was a hard, fierce and possessive kiss one that she returned with equal and unrelenting fervor. He laid her back onto the table, pushing her top up his mouth and tongue searing a trail from her belly button to below her breasts. 

She was burning, on fire from a slow heat that was spreading and making its way steadily downwards past the navel he’d lavished with kisses, deeper into her very hidden core. Wynonna squirmed with the intensity of it bucking up against his hips and moaning quite loudly when she found herself hauled upright, turned around, her hands now flat on the table.

The warmth of his body fed into hers as she pressed up against him, his hands grounding her hips before sliding his fingers upwards to explore her breasts, teasing the nipples through the thin lace of her bralette. Her head lolled sideways and immediately his mouth latched onto the exposed skin of her neck, released and then bit down sharply. The sensation had her senses swimming as did his hand when it caressed between her legs briefly before slipping the button of her jeans.

They were jolted apart by the door crashing open and a trembling Waverly standing in the doorway, her face white as a sheet, Nicole pulling up behind her out of breath.

“Wynonna, he’s, he’s, here,” she stuttered wringing her hands. “He just passed now in a convoy headed toward the old trailer park. Bobo’s back.

Both Xavier and Wynonna froze and looked at each other and then at the two women lodged in the doorway.

Xavier met Nicole’s eyes and a thin, cold smile etched itself on his face.

“Well I guess we’ll just have to play welcoming committee then won’t we?”


	9. Undercurrents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What a mouthful! Honestly she was worse than a cornered Jeremy with her prattling. Tilting her head a little in the charged quiet, she blinked into a pair golden brown irises trained on her with sniper focus. Her palms were clammy, heart thudding loudly in her ears whilst her stupid nerves felt like maracas being shaken in the most ungainly rhythm. She was going to kiss Nicole Haught, Purgatory be damned.

“Shit,” Nicole thought as she chased after Waverly. It was only two days ago that she’d arrived in Purgatory to visit and now found herself embroiled in a covert operation against a notorious criminal and possibly falling in love with her best friends’ sister.

The diminutive dynamo in question was literally flying back to the Sheriffs’ office that Nicole had vacated earlier and she had to jog to keep up with her.  
Nicole had found Waverly in her car, talking animatedly on her giant phone and she’d taken a moment to appreciate the beauty before her. She loved the way Waverly’s eyes suddenly crinkled up with laughter and then widened comically when she spotted Nicole and made a wild flagging gesture with her hand. She waited for her to finish her call deciding that she’d be happy to stare at her expressive face all day, every day.

Waverly shot out of the car still clutching the phone to her ear, hurrying over to Nicole who could just catch the tail end of the conversation.

“Thanks Jeremy I really appreciate this and it’s no problem we didn’t lock the Homestead, so you can get in and set up.”

Nicole quirked an eyebrow at her. Waverly smiled an absolutely beatific smile that left Nicole weak and she knew just then that she was a goner.

“Hieeee, did Wynonna send you to look for me?” The smaller girl craned her neck upwards at Nicole and woah those eyes. Waverly sighed involuntarily and a blush colored her cheeks pink.

“Why didn’t you lock the Homestead Waverly,” Nicole asked softly, leaning toward her, mesmerized by the pretty blush in the apples of Waverly’s cheeks and the little pink tongue that had slipped out to moisten parted lips. A thrill shot through Waverly at the husk in Nicole’s voice and she tightened her grip on the tab.

“Err well, we didn’t think we’d need to with the party and all the stuff we were gonna bring back and also it’s way out of town and hardly anyone lives in our direction and also there’s stuff that Jeremy needs to do and Chrissy also needs to get in to set up the bar and food, we don’t really cook much so yeah, door unlocked.”

What a mouthful! Honestly she was worse than a cornered Jeremy with her prattling. Tilting her head a little in the charged quiet, she blinked into a pair golden brown irises trained on her with sniper focus. Her palms were clammy, heart thudding loudly in her ears whilst her stupid nerves felt like maracas being shaken in the most ungainly rhythm. She was going to kiss Nicole Haught, Purgatory be damned.

A rumble from the top of the street had broken the moment and Waverly swiveled her head as a convoy of Hummers, Jeeps and trucks rolled down the street. A white one with flashy rims, slowed as it passed the two women and a set of grey/blue eyes skewered them as they watched from the sidewalk.

Waverly had recognized him immediately from the photos in the dossier and Bobo had watched her, strangely fixated as his convoy drove down the main street.  
He’d acknowledged Nicole with an imperceptible nod of his head before turning and rolling up the window of the Hummer.

Shit. Dolls had been right. Bobo Del Ray being in Purgatory was all kinds of bad and her gut was telling her that his visit was no coincidence. He was coming to settle scores once and for all.

Standing behind Waverly at the station, wide eyed at the scene before them, Nicole really wanted to say something but the abrupt change in mood from Xavier and the shiver that ran through Waverly’s shoulder put paid to any wise crack she would have delivered. She filed it away for future reference.

“Trust that muthafudging jackass to make an entrance at the wrong damn time” Wynonna griped, shaken but hiding it as only she could. Waverly had moved into her sisters’ side and Nicole felt the loss of her presence even as Wynonna wrapped a comforting arm around the smaller woman.

“It’s just as well we’ve moved onto the Homestead, we can all be in one place and that includes you too,” Wynonna stated looking in Dolls’ direction daring him to argue, which was quite brave considering that his whole demeanour had shifted, again. Her ardent lover was gone replaced by the Marshall whose bulky arms were crossed in front of him, a tic pulsing in his jaw, his eyes arctic and distant, lost in his own mind.

“Dolls, you need to focus and think clearly if we’re gonna do this thing. We can’t lose the play before we’re even in the game,” Nicole said reminding him of their earlier conversation and the plans they’d been working on unbeknown to the Earp sisters.

“Wait, what? You’ve been working on something behind our backs and you didn’t tell and you expect us to just go along with whatever you say? Dolls!” Wynonna exclaimed turning to the man who had just kissed the living lust out of her.

He had the grace to look down sheepishly for a second before his face hardened again.

“It’s for your own good and before you go off at me, moving onto the Homestead is a great idea tactically. It’ll keep the fight away from town and people.”

“Whoa, hold up just a goddamn minute. Our home, by the way, has just been renovated and you’re telling me that we’re headed for a bad spaghetti western gunfight,” Wynonna was now surprisingly calm.

“It won’t come to that but a fallback position was needed and well,” he shrugged his shoulders at her.

He was better prepared for the right hook this time, slipping out of the way and catching her fist in his hand. He spun her round, pinning her arm behind her back his voice silky in her ear, “Behave yourself and I promise to find better uses for that energy.” 

Scowling and also flushed with heat she snapped out, “fine” and jerked away from him to stand behind Waverly.

He’d won this round but if he thought for a minute she was going to be a bystander in his plan to take down Bobo Del Ray and rescue Willa (because she still believed she wasn’t beyond redemption) then Xavier Dolls had another think coming.

“So are you going to let us in on this plan of yours? Waverly had been quiet all the while. 

She hadn’t bothered to admonish Wynonna for attempting to punch Dolls. She sympathized because she also felt a sense of betrayal chased by confusion. This was her family, in fact her only sister(she wasn’t counting Willa) and these two idiots thought they could just swan in and do as they pleased? Her hazel eyes landed on the oblivious redhead casually leaning against the now closed door. 

On the other hand, how had she gone from wanting to kiss Nicole to wanting to scratch the dimples out her cheeks so swiftly?

“You,” was all Waverly snarled as she advanced menacingly toward Nicole. 

Realization dawned but she was too late as Waverly had already pounced and yanked her head down by the ear. Nicole squealed loudly, suddenly terrified of the pint sized woman in front of her. Just where had the nice, sweet Waverly gone? Nicole lifted her own hands in surrender, her ear turning pink from where Waverly’s nails had embedded themselves. It wouldn’t be an altogether unpleasant feeling under the right circumstances but now really wasn’t the time to be examining the odd sensations rippling through her body.

“Ow, ow, ooooweee, that hurts Waverly, I’m sorry, it’s not my fault, he made me promise not to tell,” Nicole pleaded pointing frantically at Dolls. 

Wynonna was shaking with laughter, clapping her hands, tears rolling down her face whilst Dolls looked on unsure as to how to intervene without becoming a victim himself. 

“Ladies and gentleman, I give you Waverly Earp,” she chortled again, gently removing Waverly’s hand from Nicole’s ear and leading her petulant sister out the door.

“We’ll see you two losers at the Homestead and Dolls, your plan better not suck eggs because if it does, I’m gonna kick your nuts in,” she said darkly before smiling angelically and turning on her heel, brown mane bouncing behind her.

Dolls smiled apologetically at Nicole, looking ruefully at her ear.

“We better get it together then, before they both do something worse to the both of us.”

“No shit,” Nicole replied rubbing her tender ear gingerly.

************************

It had not been too much of a shock to see her again, all grown up. She wouldn’t remember him of course but he’d always watched over her especially in light of how Ward treated her.

She was bragging rights in the Svane household. Dumbass Ward Earp too busy minding the town and drinking to mind his wife and poof someone had swooped in and done the dirty, getting one over the Earps.

He was truly sorry for what she had undergone as a result of her unfortunate birth and one reason for coming back was to remedy that. The second was to look over his holdings in good old Purgatory and the third and most delicious of all was to put her bitch half-sister in her place. No one humiliated him and got away with it, not Ward and certainly not that tramp Wynonna. 

He’d seen the work in progress at the distillery had heard the reports of the on-goings at the Homestead but what was of interest to him was the studio. What was it again Legacy something. He’d burn it down. All of it. The only legacy the Earps would have would be one of ignominy, relegated to the books of failure like they all were.

Of course Waverly would be angry but it would work out in the end. She was a Svane after all and sooner or later she’d come around and have the family she no doubt always longed for.

His only impediment was Willa. Snapping his teeth together in frustration, he thought back to the day he’d kidnapped her. His intention had been to kill her but no big, bad Bobo Del Ray had fallen under the thrall of the green eyed, ice queen, discovering much to his chagrin that she was far more devious than he could ever hope to be. Oh what a tangled web he’d woven. Willa had somehow wormed her way through his affections and into his business and now knew almost all of it, though there were some things he kept hidden from her. She was vicious, ruthless and highly efficient and she hated Waverly with a passion.

It was a hate borne out of superiority. Waverly was not an Earp therefore she did not belong. Willa couldn’t fathom that there were any ties in life that went deeper than blood and that sometimes the family you have is sometimes of your own making.

Bobo would never divulge Waverly’s true parentage to Willa; instinct drove him to retain this piece of information in the darkness of his heart for reasons he could not explain.

The old trailer park had been cleaned up surprisingly well, then again his ladylove had in her own words “refused to squat in some rat infested hovel, like I’m some trailer trash with no standards.” 

He snorted in derision thinking of the Homestead she’d grown up in, creaking and decrepit. Standards, his ass. She was lucky he didn’t chuck her back to climbing poles the way she’d been behaving of late. He knew Willa thought herself better than him and in this he was reminded of Wynonna. Even when those women were down they still held themselves above him. Maybe it was time to remind Willa just who was in charge, time to bring her to heel like a good little mutt.

The last time he’d disciplined her, she hadn’t spoken to him for two months and it had been a battle of attrition. Willa had given him the subservience he craved but denied him her mind, bobbing her head demurely in his presence a smile on her lips but glaciers in her eyes, her pain betrayed only by a slight limp in her walk. Yet she did not utter a word. Even when he took her in their bed, riding her hard and rough, wanting a reaction, anything, not a sound did she make, only smiling serenely and lying motionless during his exertions, her eyes shuttered from him.

He’d fucked some of her girls whilst she watched in the hopes of at least goading her jealousy. All that had served to do was amuse her as she had berated and mocked, finding fault with each girl, beating one with a belt through a blow job until she had choked on his dick and fled in tears, Willa’s spiteful cackle ringing in her ears. He’d caved.

It’d taken the Escalade, a visit to the plastic surgeon, a monumental shopping spree to Italy, a vacation in St. Tropez to show off the results of surgery, a swanky condo in the city and relinquishing the human trafficking operation to her before she had even deigned to dine at the same table with him. Oh yes, Willa had extracted her pound of flesh.

“You catch a fly with honey, not vinegar,” a voice mocked him

All the same, he’d never swop her for another even if he wasn’t faithful, hence his conundrum. He needed Willa to co-operate for his plan to succeed.

Another irritant was that Haught bitch from Lucado’s stable. What the hell was she doing in his hometown? Aargh he’d deal with her later.

Right now he just wanted a hot meal and some sleep. Where the hell was Willa? They’d agreed to meet at the trailer park and to think of it the huge RV taking up most of the space needed christening. She’d insisted on comfort and sure as hell she wasn’t going to be the only one to enjoy the benefits of his money.

His boys were already headed into town, looking for a bar and trouble. He’d thought about keeping them on a tight leash but they’d been ansty for a time and it would be good for them to stretch their legs, break Purgatory in. Maybe he’d even join them later on. That was a thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had so much fun writing this, you don't even know!


	10. Touch Is A Move

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Listen we’re gonna kick Bobos’ ass and the best part is we’re not doing it alone.

Waverly listened as Wynonna hummed softly as she drove them back to the Homestead. Ever since she got back to Purgatory she hadn’t seen her pick up a guitar or even attempt to write and here she was humming. They hadn’t spoken about the damage to her vocal chords, Waverly deciding it was best to steer clear of that topic but here was Wynonna happily humming without a supposed care in the world.

“What Waverly,” Wynonna said glancing at the woman next to her, “spit it out.”

“You’re humming. You haven’t attempted anything musical in forever and you’re humming today of all days, you’re humming Wynonna, we’re in the shit and you’re just humming like everything is going to be okay, ooh God I’m having a panic attack.”

The car came to a screeching halt as Wynonna slammed the brakes.

“Waves, Waverly, Baby girl, calm down ok, just take a few deep breaths, here let me get the window.”

Cool air flooded the car whilst tears slowly slid down Waverly’s cheeks.

“Hey, hey, don’t cry Waves, what’s going on,” concern creasing Wynonnas' brow. Waverly had been lost in her thoughts since they left the station. 

“I’m so scared Nonna,” Waverly sniffed. “I guess now that Bobo is here it’s really hitting home and it’s all a bit much.”

“Listen we’re gonna kick Bobos’ ass and the best part is we’re not doing it alone. We have people in our corner for once and that counts for something. When we’re done dealing with that jackass, we’ll take a nice long vacay, anywhere you like. We got this Babygirl, we’re Earps and we don’t scare easy.”

Waverly smiled through her tears. Somehow, Wynonna always made her feel better, even when things were going to shit she tried her best for Waverly.

“Umm so there’s something I wanted to talk to you about and it involves Nicole.”

A massive grin spread across Wynonna’s face but before she could answer the world went dark.

**********************************

Dolls and Nicole had remained at the police station refining the last of their plan with Nedley before heading out to the Homestead. The portly Sheriff had listened in silence as the two had laid out every detail for him, his keen eyes focused on the map showing the area surrounding the Pine Barrens. Dolls had packed a large crate and two reinforced steel cases into the back of his SUV and had pushed another case toward Nedley.

“You’ll need that,” he said before turning back to his gun safe and pulling out several stun grenades and also handing them to Nedley.

If he was being honest Nedley was excited. It’d been ages since his department had been involved in an operation against a crime syndicate like the one headed by Bobo Del Ray. It was good for the morale of his deputies to see that they were not toothless against people like Del Ray. Although ultimately Dolls was running the show with the Sheriff’s Department there to support as local law enforcement, Purgatory would take the win, whichever way it came. 

He’d be glad to see the back end of Del Ray and his ilk for good and he figured that the best chance the town had for peace and quiet lay with the grimly determined Deputy Marshall he’d grudgingly grown to like and respect.

Del Ray’s destruction would be a notable notch on his belt and a great way to head into the twilight of his career.

“I’ll be back for those in a second,” Nedley said gesturing towards the pineapple shaped grenades as he carried the case to his office. 

A loud bang caught his attention and through the glass doors he saw two men careen out of Shorty’s the local bar and slam into a parked car, arms swinging wildly as they duked it out. Two of his deputies beat feet to the fray but they were overwhelmed as more people surged out of the bar into the street simultaneously egging the two opponents on whilst pushing and shoving each other.

Sure enough a bottle smashed into one of his deputies and he staggered from the blow, blood pouring from the ugly gash that had opened up on his forehead. Nedley rushed out to help the stricken deputy and from the corner of his eye he caught a glint of red and heard an almighty thwack as something hard collided with flesh. Turning his head, he saw the red head with her knee planted squarely in the back of a man who lay face down on the ground, his arms twisted tightly behind his back, whilst Dolls stood steady behind her, gun aimed dead centre at another man who was advancing on Nicole.

“Take one more step and I’ll drop you,” Dolls said. His eyes flickered to the unwavering gun in the Marshall’s hand and to the man flattened on the asphalt. He stopped and retreated slowly.

The crowd had also moved to a safe distance to watch. Nedley tossed his cuffs to Nicole who deftly caught and slapped them onto the prone idiot, hauling him up and hustling him over to Nedley.

“Book this one and we’ll take Lonnie to the hospital,” Nicole said simply, nodding at the injured deputy.

***************************************

Her head hurt and her arm throbbed as well. She could taste the blood from her split lip and cold was seeping into her bones. Disorientated she tried to push up off her side and a sharp pain shot through her elbow.

It was dark and so very cold. She stiffened as she felt another presence beside her. Opening her eyes fully, she tried to focus on the shadow next to her and was horrified to make out the form of a young woman bound hand and foot with a dirty gag in her mouth. Her eyes were huge with terror and tears fell ceaselessly from her eyes.

Only then did she realize that she wasn’t in the car anymore, no she was imprisoned in an icy, rattling cage to God knows where with no Wynonna in sight.

Panicking would not help her as she was in dire straits and needed her wits about her. Swallowing her fear Waverly shuffled forward toward the girl and undid her binds wincing as the sharp pain lanced through her elbow again.

“Ssssh, ssh, ssh, no don’t cry, it’s okay, Waverly crooned holding the girls’ hands as she broke into audible sobs.

“They, they, they took me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for the delay in posting. Life has been happening AT me and I’m just barely catching up. Anyway here’s to hoping normal transmission has resumed!!


	11. Cut & Thrust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She would not cry. Those days were over.

Waking up she knew where she was from the smell alone. The weeks spent recovering in hospital had attuned her nostrils to the reek of disinfectant, soap and lye. Blinding light made her wince and she was immediately set on edge. Hospitals were places she loathed intensely. Wynonna jerked forward only to slump back again when a stabbing pain in   
her skull leveled her.

“Easy Wynonna,” said a soft voice in the room.

In a corner sat her Marshall, his gaze intent on her and moreso as he stood and brought the chair closer to her bedside.

“You took quite a nasty hit and the doctor wants to keep you for further observation.”

“Nope, no, not gonna happen, I hate hospitals. How long have I been here anyway? Where’s Waverly?”

Xavier lowered his eyes before looking back at her and responding.

“We don’t know. She wasn’t in the car wreck with you when we got there yesterday.”

“What do you mean? Where is she? I’m getting outta here now!” Wynonna swung her legs forcefully off the bed to stand but when she took a step forward her world swam violently and she pitched forward right into his arms.

“Hey, hey, I got you,” he said holding her up carefully in his strong arms.

"We’ll find Waverly but the best thing you can do right now is to be healthy for her when she gets back Wynonna.”

She glared at him mutinously, her instincts pushing her to ignore him but there really was nothing she could do when she couldn’t keep her bearings. He’d settled her gently back onto the bed and pulled his chair even closer, enclosing her one hand in his larger ones.

“Earp, trust me, we’re going to find Waverly, you have my word. Right now I need you to relax and tell me everything you can remember.”

His face looked so open and earnest she felt her stomach swoop at the concern in the warm depths of his eyes. He was sincere and he cared, probably a lot more than he should but he cared all the same. Blinking rapidly to forestall any tears, she concentrated on their joined hands.

“We were talking in the car. Waverly has had so much pressure on her lately, work stuff, this thing with Bobo, Willa and some other stuff that’s happening to her right now and she just couldn’t deal for a second. I just stopped the car to calm her down a bit that’s all.”

“What happened?”

“She was about to tell me something important but some big, white thing slammed into us and then everything went dark.”

“Okay do you remember any detail about it?”

“No, it was so fast and I just heard Waverly scream and then I was out of it. Dolls I have to find Waverly please, I have to find her. Who knows what’s happened to her! I can’t leave her out there alone!”

Wynonna rubbed furiously at the tears spilling down her cheeks with her free hand before she found herself suddenly engulfed in a huge hug, her sobs muffled against a massive chest.

“Listen love, it’s going to be alright, WE are going to find Waverly and destroy Bobo Del Ray once and for all.”

She pulled back reluctantly from his embrace and eyed him suspiciously.

“You think he took her? Why and how?"

“Call it a hunch but I think he has plans for the both of you.”

“Get me out of here Dolls. I’ll go crazy if I have to stay another minute. You can take me to the Homestead and I’ll recover there. I hate hospitals, please,” she’d given him her best smile and was gratified to see his lips twitch.

“I’ll see what I can do,” he said before walking out her room to find the doctor.

***************

Nicole was distressed. She was trying her best to hide it but her pacing in the Homestead gave her away. She was worried sick about Waverly and more so considering where they had left things.

This couldn’t be happening again. Why was it that she always seemed to fail to hold onto the good things in her life. Her ex, Shae had tried so hard with Nicole but she had been too busy partying and generally flowing with the fast paced life of the entertainment industry to pay attention to her until it was too late. 

Nicole hadn’t cheated per se but truthfully she had been less than committed and in the end Shae had walked, finally deciding that the lifestyle of an A&R executive was not a good fit for an up and coming doctor with an eye on political office in the future. Sure Nicole had missed her but not enough to go after her and beg a second chance and that in itself had spoken volumes.

Waverly Earp however, she was ALL things good even if Nicole didn’t know where she stood with her at this stage. The small brunette had been pretty angry the last time they’d been together in one place. Then again there was that moment by her car before Bobo’s entourage had wrecked it. Throw in the fact that Waverly was just awakening to her sexuality and given her insecurities who knew where that would lead. Right now though, finding Waverly was of the utmost importance, not just for her but Wynonna too.

Nicole had been shocked into silence when she and Dolls had sighted the destroyed Camaro lying to the side of the road. It was the last thing both of them expected to see as they drove to the Earp Homestead after dropping Lonnie off at the hospital and loading the rest of their gear in his SUV.

Dread gnawed her insides at Waverly’s obvious absence from the vehicle. They had worked to free an unconscious Wynonna from the wreckage before Dolls administered first aid. She’d seen the strain in his face as he held Wynonna and she told him to take her to the hospital whilst she’d wait for the cops to arrive. She’d catch a ride back with them. Careful so as not to disturb any evidence, she put her phone camera to use noting the second set of tread marks from a larger vehicle and other drag marks that seemed a little bloody.

Nicole had been acutely aware of Nedleys’ eyes on her as he had insisted on driving her to the Homestead rather than the hospital where Dolls was. He’d said he wanted to check up on his daughter Chrissy whom Waverly had contracted to handle catering for the housewarming. Catching his gaze flitting between her and the road, she’d sensed his curiosity but had not encouraged conversation cursing the instincts that had led her to help in the first place. 

It would seem that the skills from her previous career and life were attracting unwanted attention when all she really was trying to maintain the fresh start she’d made. Jeannie Lucado had taken her on as an assistant and she had risen quickly through competence and an uncanny ability to interact with people, especially the difficult ones.

Lucado knew why she’d left the police force but had been gracious enough to not pry further preferring to groom Nicole until she felt confident enough to make her head of A& R. A chance given that had not gone begging. Nicole excelled.

Wynonna had been a challenge from the get go, their very different personalities grating on each other like sandpaper removing barriers of the other until they could see each other as few ever did. Their relationship was something Nicole guarded jealously. Now here she was, in love with her best friends’ sister, who for all intents and purposes had been kidnapped.

Chrissy and Jeremy stayed overnight to keep her company. Jeremy could not stop talking and Nicole was grateful for the distraction helping Chrissy pack away the excess food in the giant refrigerator and slumping on the couch glass in hand to wait for news. It was déjà vu but this time, it would end differently of that she would make sure.

******************************

The rattling of the container they were in had come to a stop and both women waited fearfully for the door to open which it did, to reveal two seedy looking men who leered suggestively at their captives before shuffling to the side to make way for a third presence, female, green eyed and blonde.

“Well, well what have we here? If it isn’t the cry baby of Purgatory. Hello Waverly it’s been a long time.”

Willa.

Waverly froze transported back in time to her child hood and the voice that had taunted and tormented her very existence.

“It’s so nice to see you again little dove, though not under these circumstances for you no doubt. I did tell you what would happen if you didn’t pay didn’t I?”   
Waverly looked at Willa confused and was pinned by a most malevolent look from the elder Earp.

“Oh I see, you thought I was talking to you? Why would I Waverly mmmmmmmh? Still think you’re so important? You’re what, twenty one and you still think the sun rises to hear you crow?”

Turning her back imperiously before Waverly could answer, Willa spun around snapping at the two men, “Get them cleaned up and ready. Our guests will be arriving tomorrow and I want everything to be perfect.”

Rough hands grabbed the two women and frog marched them after Willa into a large concrete and glass complex ringed by a tall steel fence and large gate. Waverly saw the letters Revcor painted in blue on the side of the vehicle used to ferry them and she swallowed hard. This was the lions’ den and from the looks of it there was no escape.

As if sensing her trepidation, Willa turned and looked at her thoughtfully.

“Put this one in the glass room. I have a very special client in mind for her.”

“Willa please!” Waverly had at last found her voice and she hated that she was begging. “I’m your sister.”

Willa wheeled sharply and her hand cracked across Waverly’s face.

“You’re nothing of the sort. Don’t you dare claim the Earp name. Everything changed when you were born. Mama left because of you and Daddy turned into a drunken mess because of you, so no you’re no sister of mine. Get her out of my sight, now,” Willa screamed at her hapless minions who scrambled to do her biding.

She would not cry. Those days were over.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own these characters, I just love them, even when they're dead.


End file.
